I was looking forward to hearing Robb Davis deliver the State of the City this year – after the last two ...

I was looking forward to hearing Robb Davis deliver the State of the City this year – after the last two years of sugar-coating, it seemed time to hear the cold hard truth. Unfortunately, that doesn’ ...

Earlier this week, the Vanguard evaluated claims by a couple of columnists with the local paper on this i ...

Earlier this week, the Vanguard evaluated claims by a couple of columnists with the local paper on this issue of Newspapers as the Solution to Fake News. My point in that column was skeptical, believ ...

In the past week I have had several pretty interesting conversations with members of the Davis City Counc ...

In the past week I have had several pretty interesting conversations with members of the Davis City Council. Once upon a time, it was easy to criticize the Davis City Council – it was not only out of ...

Back in November, with respect to the hotel discussion, Dan Carson, a member of the Finance and Budget Co ...

Back in November, with respect to the hotel discussion, Dan Carson, a member of the Finance and Budget Commission, warned that the city’s pension rates and costs will be greater than projected. He ref ...

There is a nexus between the two stories we have been running in recent days – the city’s “response” to t ...

There is a nexus between the two stories we have been running in recent days – the city’s “response” to the UC Davis LRDP (Long Range Development Plan) and the city’s fiscal position. Yesterday’s col ...

For months we had heard that the city’s fiscal situation had improved – and in some ways it certainly had ...

For months we had heard that the city’s fiscal situation had improved – and in some ways it certainly had – but beneath the good news was trouble. The city’s infrastructure needs were critical and la ...

Mayor Robb Davis has reacted to an updated analysis by a city-contracted actuarial as “urgent.” Despite ...

Mayor Robb Davis has reacted to an updated analysis by a city-contracted actuarial as “urgent.” Despite cost-containment and other efforts by the city, an actuarial report shows a huge jump in the ci ...

Two years ago, as we first began to earnestly plan for the possibility of innovation parks and economic d ...

Two years ago, as we first began to earnestly plan for the possibility of innovation parks and economic development as a way to help alleviate the city’s revenue shortfalls, I argued that in order for ...

If you look at polls of residents of Davis, they consistently rate the quality of life in Davis as high, ...

If you look at polls of residents of Davis, they consistently rate the quality of life in Davis as high, and they tend to believe that the finances of the city are good and things are going well. To m ...

Last week, we noted and analyzed Rich Rifkin’s column, “Davis City Manager Fails to Lead” (6/24) where he ...

Last week, we noted and analyzed Rich Rifkin’s column, “Davis City Manager Fails to Lead” (6/24) where he wrote, “Next week, Dirk Brazil will mark the start of his ninth month on the job as the Davis ...

By Jeff Miller and Dan Carson This summary was prepared by Jeff Miller and Dan Carson at the request of t ...

By Jeff Miller and Dan Carson This summary was prepared by Jeff Miller and Dan Carson at the request of the Finance and Budget Commission and sent to the Davis City Council. The commission discussed a ...

While it has been an easy mark to pin the demise of the innovation parks, and perhaps the imperiled econo ...

While it has been an easy mark to pin the demise of the innovation parks, and perhaps the imperiled economic development program, on the backs of the progressive movement in Davis – and in particular, ...

The following is the City Manager Dirk Brazil’s transmittal letter on the new budget which lays out both ...

The following is the City Manager Dirk Brazil’s transmittal letter on the new budget which lays out both his reorganization of city hall as well as his view on the upcoming budget year. Presented for ...

I look at articles like Dan Carson’s (5/2, New City Staff Forecast Says Fiscal Year to End with Substanti ...

I look at articles like Dan Carson’s (5/2, New City Staff Forecast Says Fiscal Year to End with Substantial Reserve) with naturally mixed emotions. On the one hand, the city is moving into a better fi ...

Back in late October and early November, State Controller John Chiang dropped a bit of a bombshell when h ...

Back in late October and early November, State Controller John Chiang dropped a bit of a bombshell when he added public pensions to the public fiscal database. As Columnist Dan Walters noted in a Nove ...

There were no declarations about the end of the structural deficit on Tuesday night, as City Manager Dirk ...

There were no declarations about the end of the structural deficit on Tuesday night, as City Manager Dirk Brazil gave a brief report on the budget. Council was pleased with the good news, but the maj ...

Since everyone wanted to focus on other aspects of yesterday’s column, I want to pull this out to highlig ...

Since everyone wanted to focus on other aspects of yesterday’s column, I want to pull this out to highlight a glaring inconsistency. Last week, much to our chagrin, in a piece that we roundly criticiz ...

It is no secret that we have been concerned about the possibility that Measure O will not pass. While the ...

It is no secret that we have been concerned about the possibility that Measure O will not pass. While the Measure O proponents are fortunate, with a lack of a realistic opposition (with only nominal o ...

On Sunday a co-authored piece that featured Lucas Frerichs and Brett Lee, among others, argued in favor o ...

On Sunday a co-authored piece that featured Lucas Frerichs and Brett Lee, among others, argued in favor of Measure O. As most reading this know, Measure O would increase the sales tax in Davis by one- ...

Last week, the council candidates were asked what choices by the Davis City Council put the city into the ...

Last week, the council candidates were asked what choices by the Davis City Council put the city into the position it's in. There is the tendency to blame the decline of the national economy. Howeve ...

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The Vanguard provides the Davis Community with incisive in-depth coverage of local government on a wide variety of issues. Since 2006, The Vanguard has provided Davis and Yolo County with some of the best groundbreaking news coverage on local government and policy issues affecting our city, our schools, the county, and the Sacramento Region.